Pre-paid phone cash wallet

ABSTRACT

A pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet system. The system comprises a processor, a memory, and an application stored in the memory. When executed by the processor, the application receives an initiation message of a pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet, wherein the initiation message identifies a pre-paid wireless communication account, an amount of money presented, and a wallet initiation agent, creates the wallet, where a funds balance of the wallet initially comprises at least a portion of the amount of money presented, persists an association between the wallet and the wallet initiation agent in a memory, and determines a monetary reward for the wallet initiation agent.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND

Users of portable electronic devices may utilize a variety of differentservices such as web services or other data services, voice callservices, and short message service (SMS—also known as text messaging).These services may be offered by a communication service provider ofportable electronic devices. Service providers may offer one or more ofphone service, internet service, text messaging service, and/or otherportable electronic device communication services, and may bundle morethan one of these services. The bundle of services may be referred to asa service plan or device plan. The device plan may be provided as apost-pay billing system, such that a user is billed for services alreadyprovided. For example, a user may be billed at the end of a month forthe services they have used in that month. Alternatively, services maybe prepaid, such that a user pays for an amount of service, which may beapplied as a credit to the user's account. The user may then utilize theservice until the amount of prepaid service is consumed. Then, ifdesired, the user may buy additional service credit in a variety ofincrements or units. A data plan, for example, may be purchased as anumber of bits or unlimited data for a specified period of time.

SUMMARY

In an embodiment, a pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet system isdisclosed. The system comprises a processor, a memory, and anapplication stored in the memory. When executed by the processor, theapplication receives an initiation message of a pre-paid mobile phonecash wallet, wherein the initiation message identifies a pre-paidwireless communication account, an amount of money presented, and awallet initiation agent, creates the wallet, where a funds balance ofthe wallet initially comprises at least a portion of the amount of moneypresented, persists an association between the wallet and the walletinitiation agent in a memory, and determines a monetary reward for thewallet initiation agent.

In an embodiment, a method of maintaining a pre-paid mobile phone cashwallet is disclosed. The method comprises receiving by a computer aninitiation message from a wallet initiation agent, wherein theinitiation message identifies a pre-paid phone wireless communicationaccount and an amount of money to be credited to the pre-paid mobilephone cash wallet funds, establishing by a computer a pre-paid mobilephone cash wallet account in a cash wallet data store, where thepre-paid mobile cash wallet account has an initial funds balance equalto the amount of money identified in the initiation message, andcreating by a computer in the cash wallet data store an associationbetween the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet account and the walletinitiation agent. The method further comprises transmitting by acomputer a pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet account number to thewallet initiation agent, receiving by a computer a cash load messagefrom a loading agent, wherein the cash load message identifies thepre-paid mobile phone cash wallet account number and an amount of moneyto load to the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet funds, determining by acomputer the identity of the wallet initiation agent associated with thepre-paid mobile phone cash wallet account number provided in the cashload message by accessing the cash wallet data store, and determining bya computer a monetary reward associated with the cash load message tothe wallet initiation agent.

In an embodiment, a method of performing a commercial transaction usinga pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet is disclosed. The method comprisesreceiving by a computer a transaction message, wherein the transactionmessage comprises a pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet account number, anidentity of a business, and a transaction amount, identifying by acomputer a wallet initiation agent associated with the pre-paid mobilephone cash wallet account number by accessing a cash wallet data storebased on the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet account number, anddetermining by a computer a monetary reward for the wallet initiationagent based on the transaction amount.

These and other features will be more clearly understood from thefollowing detailed description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure, referenceis now made to the following brief description, taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings and detailed description, wherein likereference numerals represent like parts.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet systemaccording to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of a cash wallet account according to anembodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 if a flow chart of a method according to an embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of another method according to an embodiment ofthe disclosure.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of a mobile phone according to an embodimentof the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a hardware architecture of a mobile phoneaccording to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 7A is a block diagram of a software architecture of a mobile phoneaccording to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 7B is an illustration of another software architecture according toan embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a computer system according to anembodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It should be understood at the outset that although illustrativeimplementations of one or more embodiments are illustrated below, thedisclosed systems and methods may be implemented using any number oftechniques, whether currently known or not yet in existence. Thedisclosure should in no way be limited to the illustrativeimplementations, drawings, and techniques illustrated below, but may bemodified within the scope of the appended claims along with their fullscope of equivalents.

In an embodiment a pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet system isdisclosed. The pre-paid mobile phone marketplace may provide mobilecommunication services to many customers with limited financialresources and who may not have banking accounts such as checkingaccounts, savings accounts, and/or credit card accounts. Such customersmay be unable to make on-line payments and/or make debit cardtransactions. The pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet system disclosedherein may enable such customers to make on-line purchases and/orcomplete electronic payment with participating affiliates.

The pre-paid mobile phone may be associated with a pre-paid mobile phoneservice account that was opened with the assistance of a pre-paidaccount initiation agent. A pre-paid balance may be associated with theservice account such that as the pre-paid subscriber uses his or herpre-paid wireless communication service, the pre-paid funds balancedecrements. When the pre-paid funds balance decrements to zero, wirelesscommunication service will no longer be provided to the subject pre-paidmobile phone under normal circumstances (emergency calls may be carriedeven for pre-paid mobile phones having a zero pre-paid funds balance).The user may add new funds or top up the pre-paid funds balance, forexample by performing a top-up transaction with the pre-paid initiationagent or another agent.

A customer having a pre-paid mobile phone may open a cash wallet accountassociated with but distinct from the pre-paid mobile phone serviceaccount. For example, a pre-paid mobile phone service account fundsbalance may be independent from a funds balance associated with the cashwallet account. The opening of the cash wallet account is facilitated bya wallet initiation agent, for example a pre-paid mobile phone dealer orother retailer. It may be the case that the pre-paid account initiationagent is identical with the wallet initiation agent, but the two neednot be the same agents. The wallet initiation agent receives a cashpayment from the customer, receives an identity of the pre-paid mobilephone service account, takes any information useful to the opening ofthe cash wallet, and transmits an initiation message to a cash walletapplication programming interface (API)/service layer application thatmay execute on a server computer in the mobile communication serviceprovider enterprise network. The initiation message indicates theassociated pre-paid mobile phone service account and an initial fundsbalance for the cash wallet. The initial funds balance may be less thanthe cash payment received from the customer, for example when a cashwallet initiation fee is charged to the customer.

The process of initiating the cash wallet may comprise downloading andinstalling a cash wallet client or application onto the pre-paid mobilephone, for example via a short range wireless communication technologysuch as WiFi or Bluetooth® or via a cellular wireless communicationprotocol. The cash wallet client may comprise a user interface forrequesting a report of the current funds balance of the cash wallet andto complete one or more cash transactions. For example, the userinterface may provide a control for initiating a cash transfer, forexample a cash transfer from the cash wallet account of a working man tothe man's retired mother's bank account in a distant city or in anothercountry. The user interface may provide a control for paying utilitybills from the cash wallet account. The user interface may provide acontrol for sending flowers to others. The user interface may updateover-the-air from the cellular wireless network with different controlsfor completing different cash purchase transactions according toseasonal schedules aligned with festivals or holidays. The controls maybe provided by the cash wallet client as transaction widgets that arepresented on the user interface.

The process of initiating the cash wallet also comprises creating apre-paid mobile phone cash wallet account as an entry in a data store.The cash wallet account may comprise a cash wallet account number, afunds balance, the identity of the initiation agent, and the pre-paidmobile phone account number. The cash wallet account number istransmitted back to the initiation agent for updating into the cashwallet client as well as to provide to the user. An optional personalidentification number (PIN) may be provided to the user by theinitiation agent also.

As transactions are made using the cash wallet, a portion of thetransaction cost is absorbed by paying a monetary reward to the walletinitiation agent, thereby incenting the wallet initiation agentsgenerally to promote pre-paid mobile phone customers opening the cashwallet accounts. When the pre-paid account initiation agent is the sameas the wallet initiation agent, the pre-paid account initiation agent isincented to market the pre-paid mobile cash wallet to the customer. Themonetary reward may be a fixed, constant value per transaction.Alternatively, the monetary reward may be a percentage of thetransaction value. When the customer wishes to refill the funds balancein his or her cash wallet, the customer presents cash to a loadingagent. A cash load fee is levied upon the cash loading transaction, partof which is given to the loading agent and part of which is given to thewallet initiation agent and/or to the prepaid account initiation agent.In some loading scenarios, the loading agent may also be the walletinitiation agent and/or the pre-paid account initiation agent. Theloading agent transmits a loading message to the cash wallet applicationprogramming interface/service layer application that identifies theamount of the cash load and the wallet cash account. The cash walletapplication programming interface/service layer application allocatesthe appropriate value of cash to the cash wallet funds balance anddistributes the appropriate loading monetary reward to the walletinitiation agent and/or to the pre-paid account initiation agent. Theloading agent may take his or her share directly out of the cashpresented by the customer.

In an embodiment, both transaction monetary rewards and loading cashshares may be accumulated and distributed to the initiation agents andothers on periodic settlement intervals, for example, at the end of abusiness day, at the end of a week, at the end of a month, at the end ofa quarter, or on some other time interval. In an embodiment, informationabout the transactions and the loading events are stored in a data storeand processed in a batch immediately before settlement time. Batchprocessing may promote distributing a load on computers that support thedescribed system more efficiently. For example, the batch processing maybe done during periods of low transaction processing times, such asearly morning.

The customer may pay for transactions with affiliates by presenting thecash wallet account number and the optional PIN. Alternatively, anelectronic card may be provided in association with the cash walletaccount that may be used to identify the cash wallet account number,with the customer still providing the PIN. Alternatively, the electroniccard may store funds electronically in the card itself, for example as adebit card. Some transactions, for example, funds transfer, may beperformed by the pre-paid mobile phone, for example via the userinterface of the cash wallet client. In an embodiment, the cash walletclient may promote transferring cash from the funds balance of the cashwallet account to the pre-paid communication account funds balance. Amonetary reward or residual may be determined and distributed to thewallet initializing agent on based on these transactions. In anembodiment, a monetary reward or residual may be determined anddistributed to the pre-paid account initializing agent based on thesetransactions.

Turning now to FIG. 1, a pre-paid cash wallet system 100 is described.In an embodiment, the system 100 comprises a pre-paid mobile phone 102,a base transceiver station (BTS) 104, a network 106, a server computer107, a cash wallet application programming interface (API)/service layer108, a data store 110, a plurality of stores 112, and a plurality oftrusted service providers (TSPs) 114. The network 106 may comprise oneor more public networks, one or more private networks, or a combinationthereof. The stores 112 may comprise any number of pre-paid mobile phoneretail stores, product stores, on-line stores, money transfer services,utility service providers, and other stores. In some contexts the stores112 may be referred to as businesses. The base transceiver station 104provides a wireless communication link to the phone 102 and connectivitythere through to the network 106 to conduct pre-paid communications suchas voice and/or data communication. In an embodiment, the basetransceiver station 104 communicates with the phone 102 according to oneof a code division multiple access (CDMA), global system for mobilecommunications (GSM), long term evolution (LTE), worldwideinteroperability for microwave access (WiMAX) or other cellular wirelesscommunication protocol. It is understood that the system 100 maycomprise any number of pre-paid mobile phones 102, base transceiverstations 104, stores 112, and trusted service providers 114.

The cash wallet API/service layer 108 may be one or more computerprograms and/or applications that execute on the server computer 107.Computers are described in more detail hereinafter. The data store 110comprises a plurality of cash wallet accounts 118. The data store 110may comprise a data base, a lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP)data store, one or more flat files, or some other structure ofaggregated data. In some contexts the data store 110 may be referred toas a cash wallet data store. A cash wallet account 118 may take on anyof a variety of implementations and is an abstraction for thecollectivity of information that is pertinent to a cash wallet account.The cash wallet account 118 is discussed further below with reference toFIG. 2.

A representative scenario for initiating and using the pre-paid mobilephone cash wallet is now described. It is understood that the presentdisclosure contemplates a number of alternatives and variations to thisrepresentative scenario. A user who has a pre-paid mobile phone serviceaccount may visit a store 112, for example a pre-paid mobile phonestore, to purchase additional pre-paid communication service, e.g., totop-up their pre-paid mobile phone funds balance. The pre-paid mobilephone store may be referred to in some contexts as a dealer or a dealerstore. Any employee of the dealer store may be referred to as a dealeror the dealer in some contexts herein. After the dealer has received theuser's cash and topped up the user's pre-paid mobile phone fundsbalance, the dealer may further persuade the user to set-up a pre-paidmobile phone cash wallet for the pre-paid mobile phone 102. The dealermay be the same business as the business that initialized the pre-paidmobile phone service for the subject pre-paid mobile phone 102.

The user may provide cash to the store 112 to initiate the cash walletfor the phone 102. The store 112 may install a cash wallet client 116 onthe pre-paid mobile phone 102, for example a cash wallet clientapplication. The store 112 may further send an initiation message to theserver 107 and the cash wallet API/service layer 108 via the network106. In an embodiment, the store 112 may be associated with one of thetrusted service providers 114, and the trusted service provider 114 mayrelay the initiation message from the store 112 to the server 107 andthe API/service layer 108. The role of the trusted service provider 114in this initiation transaction may comprise performing automatedclearing house (ACH) functions.

A portion of the cash provided by the user may be designated for depositin a pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet funds balance, and anotherportion of the cash provided by the user may be designated as a monetaryreward for the store 112 or dealer that initiates the pre-paid mobilephone cash wallet. In an embodiment, the store 112 may take its monetaryreward directly from the customer at the time cash is rendered.Alternatively, in another embodiment, all of the tendered cash istransferred to the cash wallet API/service layer 108, and the monetaryreward to the store 112, in this scenario the dealer, is transferred toan account associated with the store 112 at a settlement time.

The store 112 and/or dealer that mediates the set-up and/or initiationof the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet is referred to as the walletinitiation agent in some contexts herein. The store 112 and/or dealerthat mediates the set-up and/or initiation of the pre-paid mobile phoneservice may be referred to as the pre-paid account initiation agent. Inresponse to receiving the initiation message, the cash walletAPI/service layer 108 creates a cash wallet account 118 in the datastore 110. The cash wallet API/service layer 108 associates a cashwallet account number with the cash wallet account 118 and establishes acash wallet funds balance for the cash wallet account 118 based on thecash that is tendered by the customer. The cash wallet account number istransmitted back to the dealer, and the dealer configures the cashwallet client with the cash wallet account number. The dealer may alsoinform the user of the cash wallet account number. An optional PIN mayalso be provided to the user.

The pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet may be understood to comprise adistributed collection of computer programs and data. For example, thepre-paid mobile phone cash wallet comprises the cash wallet client 116that is installed and executes on the pre-paid mobile phone 102, thecash wallet API/service layer 108 that is installed and executes on theserver 107, and the data that constitutes the cash wallet account 118that is stored in the data store 110. Notwithstanding this technicalvision of the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet, in some contexts it maybe said that the pre-paid mobile phone 102 has a cash wallet or that acash wallet is installed on the pre-paid mobile phone 102, which may bethe customer vision or abstraction of the cash wallet.

The cash wallet client 116 may provide a user interface that the usermay control to use the cash wallet. For example, the cash wallet userinterface may provide a control to request to present the cash walletfunds balance. When this control is selected, the cash wallet client 116may send a funds balance information request message to the cash walletAPI/service layer 108, where the message comprises the cash walletaccount identity. The cash wallet API/service layer 108 may retrieve thefunds balance information from the appropriate cash wallet account 118,the cash wallet API/service layer 108 may transmit the funds balanceinformation to the cash wallet client 116, and the cash wallet client116 may present the funds balance information on a display of thepre-paid mobile phone 102. In an embodiment, the cash wallet API/servicelayer 108 may transmit the funds balance information via a short messagesystem (SMS) text message to the pre-paid mobile phone 102.

The cash wallet user interface may further provide controls to completea money transfer or to complete an on-line purchase transaction with anaffiliated store 112 or other affiliated business. To support moneytransfers and/or purchase transactions, the cash wallet user interfacemay present transaction widgets that work with the user to perform thedesired transactions. In an embodiment, the cash wallet API/servicelayer 108 or other component may update the transaction widgets that arepresented in the user interface of the cash wallet client 116over-the-air (OTA), via the base transceiver station 104. In anembodiment, some of the transaction widgets may be installed and/oruninstalled seasonally, for example in view of a forthcoming holidaysuch as Christmas or Mother's Day.

The money transfer may be completed by the cash wallet client 116sending a funds transfer request message to the cash wallet API/servicelayer 108 with the funds transfer amount and an account number and/orother bank routing number information designating where the funds are tobe transferred to. Alternatively, the funds transfer request message maydesignate another cash wallet account number to transfer the funds to.Alternatively, the funds transfer request message may designate thepre-paid mobile phone wireless communication account number, to promotetransferring funds from the funds balance of the cash wallet to thefunds balance of the pre-paid mobile phone wireless communicationaccount.

When a money transfer has been completed, for example a money transferfrom the funds balance of the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet toanother financial account such as a savings account or a checkingaccount associated with a different individual than the user of thepre-paid mobile phone 102, the cash wallet API/service layer 108decrements the funds balance of the cash wallet account 118 by theamount of money transferred as well as by an amount of a money transferfee. The money transfer fee may be distributed among a plurality ofdifferent stake holders, for example to a money transfer enterprise, tothe wallet initiation agent that initialized or set-up the cash walletfor the subject pre-paid mobile phone 102, to a pre-paid accountinitiation agent, and one or more others. The money transfer fee may bedistributed at a settlement time, for example at an end of the day, atan end of the week, at an end of the month, at an end of the quarter, orat some other settlement interval.

The pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet may also be used to complete atransaction at a business affiliate by the user providing the cashwallet account number and an optional PIN at a point-of-sale terminal ofthe business affiliate. The clerk and/or the point-of-sale terminal maytransmit a transaction message to a trusted service provider 114associated with the subject business affiliate. The transaction messagemay comprise the amount of the transaction, the identity of the pre-paidmobile phone cash wallet (e.g., the cash wallet account number), theoptional PIN, and the identity of the business affiliate. The trustedservice provider 114 forwards the transaction message, possibly afterpre-processing the transaction message, to the cash wallet API/servicelayer 108.

The cash wallet API/service layer 108 determines an amount of monetaryreward or residual based on the transaction that may be distributedamong a plurality of stake holders, for example to the wallet initiationagent and/or to the pre-paid account initiation agent. The cash walletAPI/service layer 108 provides the purchase price of the transaction tothe business affiliate at a settlement time and the monetary reward orresidual to the wallet initiation agent, to the pre-paid accountinitiation agent, and or other stake holders at a settlement time. Thesettlement time for transferring money to the business affiliate for thepurchased good or service may be different from the settlement time fortransferring residuals and/or monetary rewards to the initiation agent,to the pre-paid account initiation agent and/or others. In anembodiment, the trusted service provider 114 and/or the store 112 maylikewise receive a residual associated with the transaction.

In an embodiment, a store 112 may mediate the installation of one ormore transaction widgets in the cash wallet client 116. For example, adealer at a store 112 may upload a money transfer widget to the pre-paidmobile phone 102, for example over a WiFi wireless link, over aBluetooth® wireless link, over a cellular wireless link, or over someother communication link including a wired or cabled link. In this case,the store 112 may send a transaction widget installation informationmessage to the cash wallet API/service layer 108 identifying thetransaction widget that is installed and the pre-paid mobile phone cashwallet account 118 associated with the installation. In an embodiment, amonetary reward may be provided to the store 112 and/or the dealer thatinstalled the money transfer widget in the cash wallet client 116 byeither the cash wallet API/service layer 108 or a trusted serviceprovider 114. The monetary reward may be provided to the wirelessservice provider. A portion or a residual of the monetary reward may beprovided to the wallet initiation agent and/or to the pre-paid accountinitiation agent.

The store 112 may promote the user loading cash into the cash walletand/or into the cash wallet funds balance. The user may deliver cash forloading onto the cash wallet to a store 112 or a loading agent, and theloading agent may send a loading message to the cash wallet API/servicelayer 108 identifying the amount of cash to load to the cash walletfunds balance. In an embodiment, the loading agent is awarded a loadingfee which is not represented in the amount of cash indicated in theloading message. Additionally, a residual or monetary reward funded outof the amount of cash indicated in the loading message may be providedto the wallet initiation agent and/or to the pre-paid account initiationagent. In some cases the loading agent and the wallet initiation agentare one and the same, but this is not necessarily the case. If theloading agent is the same as the wallet initiation agent, the subjectagent may receive the loading fee in addition to the residual funded outof the amount of cash indicated in the loading message. The cash walletAPI/service layer 108 increments the cash wallet funds balance by anappropriate amount based on the amount of cash indicated in the loadingmessage.

In an embodiment, residuals and monetary rewards may be calculated in anevent driven fashion, at the time that a cash wallet is created, at thetime a transaction occurs, at the time a money transfer occurs, or atthe time a loading of cash occurs. Alternatively, information aboutthese events may be stored and accumulated, for example in the datastore 110 or in another data store. These stored events may then beprocessed at a later time, for example during a time when the system 100is lightly loaded, for example in early morning hours and/or over aweekend. The processing of the stored and accumulated events may bereferred to in some contexts as batch processing. The batch processingof the events to determine monetary rewards and/or residuals may beorganized in any fashion. For example, each event may be processed inchronological order. Alternatively, the events may first be sorted basedon wallet initiation agents, and all events associated with a firstwallet initiation agent are processed, then all events associated with asecond wallet initiation agent are processed, and so forth.

Monetary rewards and residuals are accumulated for each of the subjectinitiation agents and/or pre-paid account initiation agents, and whenthe processing completes a single electronic money transfer may beperformed to distribute the aggregated monetary rewards and/or residualto each of the subject initiation agents and/or pre-paid accountinitiation agents. The processing can determine the wallet initiationagent and the pre-paid account initiation agent associated with anyevent by association of the cash wallet account number to the cashwallet account 118 which stores the identity of the wallet initiationagent and the identity of the pre-paid account initiation agent.

Turning now to FIG. 2, further details of the cash wallet account 118are described. In an embodiment, the cash wallet account 118 comprises acash wallet account number 130, an identity of a pre-paid accountinitiation agent 131, a funds balance 132, an identity of an walletinitiation agent 134, and a pre-paid mobile communication serviceaccount number. It is understood that in other embodiments, the cashwallet account 118 may comprise either fewer or more components thandescribed above. The cash wallet account number 130 may be a numericaccount number that uniquely identifies the cash wallet account 118. Theidentity of the pre-paid account initiation agent 131 uniquelyidentifies the agent or store 112 that initiated or set up the pre-paidmobile phone communication service account. The funds balance 132 mayrepresent the current balance of cash in the cash wallet account 118available for transactions. The identity of the wallet initiation agent134 uniquely identifies the agent or store 112 that initiated or set-upthe pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet and/or the cash wallet account118. The pre-paid mobile communication service account number 136 may bea numeric account number that uniquely identifies the pre-paid mobilephone communication service account that is associated with the pre-paidmobile phone 102 on which the cash wallet is installed. In some contextsit may be said that the wallet initiation agent 134 and the cash walletaccount number 130 are associated, for example associated by being bothassociated with the same cash wallet account 118.

Turning now to FIG. 3, a method 200 is described. At block 202, receivean initiation message from a wallet initiation agent, wherein theinitiation message identifies a pre-paid mobile phone wirelesscommunication account and an amount of money to be credited to thepre-paid mobile phone cash wallet funds balance. It is understood thatthe user of the pre-paid mobile phone may provide more cash to open orinitiate the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet than the amount of moneyto be credited to the pre-paid mobile phone case wallet funds balance,e.g., an initiation fee due to the wallet initiation agent, as describedabove. This may be referred to in some contexts as taking out theinitiation fee on a front-end. Alternatively, the initiation fee may betaken out at a back-end of initiation. At block 204, establish apre-paid mobile phone cash wallet account having an initial fundsbalance equal to the amount of money identified in the initiationmessage. Alternatively, if the initiation fee is to be taken out at theback-end of initiation, the initial funds balance is less than theamount of money identified in the initiation message by the amount ofthe initiation fee. At block 206, create in a cash wallet data store anassociation between the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet account andthe wallet initiation agent. The processing of block 206 may furthercomprise storing an association between the pre-paid account initiationagent with and the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet account. At block208, transmit a pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet account number to thewallet initiation agent.

At block 210, receive a cash load message from a loading agent, whereinthe cash load message identifies the pre-paid mobile phone cash walletaccount number and an amount of money to load to the pre-paid mobilephone cash wallet funds. At block 212, determine the identity of thewallet initiation agent associated with the pre-paid mobile phone cashwallet account number provided in the cash load message by accessing thecash wallet data store. At block 214, at a settlement time distribute amonetary reward associated with the cash load message to the walletinitiation agent. In an embodiment, method 200 may be performed by thecash wallet API/service layer 108. In an embodiment, the method 200further comprises determining the identity of the pre-paid accountinitiation agent associated with the pre-paid mobile phone cash walletaccount number and distributing a monetary reward or residual to thepre-paid account initiation agent at settlement time.

Turning now to FIG. 4, a method 230 is described. At block 232, receivea transaction message, wherein the transaction message comprises apre-paid mobile phone cash wallet account number, an identity of abusiness, and a transaction amount. At block 234, identify a walletinitiation agent associated with the pre-paid mobile phone cash walletaccount number by accessing a cash wallet data store based on thepre-paid mobile phone cash wallet account number. At block 236,determine a monetary reward for the wallet initiation agent based on thetransaction amount. At block 238, at a settlement time distributing themonetary reward to the wallet initiation agent and distributing thetransaction amount to the business. As described above, the cost of thegood or service that is the object of the transaction as well as theamount of the monetary reward may be deducted from the funds balance 132of the cash wallet account 118. In an embodiment, method 230 may beperformed by the cash wallet API/service layer 108. In an embodiment,the method 230 further comprises determining the identity of thepre-paid account initiation agent associated with the pre-paid mobilephone cash wallet account number and distributing a monetary reward orresidual based on the transaction amount to the pre-paid accountinitiation agent at settlement time.

FIG. 5 depicts the mobile device 400, which is operable for implementingaspects of the present disclosure, but the present disclosure should notbe limited to these implementations. For example, in an embodiment, thepre-paid mobile phone 102 may be implemented as the mobile device 400.Though illustrated as a mobile phone, the mobile device 400 may takevarious forms including a wireless handset, a pager, a personal digitalassistant (PDA), a gaming device, or a media player. The mobile device400 includes a display 402 and a touch-sensitive surface and/or keys 404for input by a user. The mobile device 400 may present options for theuser to select, controls for the user to actuate, and/or cursors orother indicators for the user to direct. The mobile device 400 mayfurther accept data entry from the user, including numbers to dial orvarious parameter values for configuring the operation of the handset.The mobile device 400 may further execute one or more software orfirmware applications in response to user commands. These applicationsmay configure the mobile device 400 to perform various customizedfunctions in response to user interaction. Additionally, the mobiledevice 400 may be programmed and/or configured over-the-air, for examplefrom a wireless base station, a wireless access point, or a peer mobiledevice 400. The mobile device 400 may execute a web browser applicationwhich enables the display 402 to show a web page. The web page may beobtained via wireless communications with a base transceiver station, awireless network access node, a peer mobile device 400 or any otherwireless communication network or system.

FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of the mobile device 400. While a varietyof known components of handsets are depicted, in an embodiment a subsetof the listed components and/or additional components not listed may beincluded in the mobile device 400. The mobile device 400 includes adigital signal processor (DSP) 502 and a memory 504. As shown, themobile device 400 may further include an antenna and front end unit 506,a radio frequency (RF) transceiver 508, a baseband processing unit 510,a microphone 512, an earpiece speaker 514, a headset port 516, aninput/output interface 518, a removable memory card 520, a universalserial bus (USB) port 522, an infrared port 524, a vibrator 526, akeypad 528, a touch screen liquid crystal display (LCD) with a touchsensitive surface 530, a touch screen/LCD controller 532, a camera 534,a camera controller 536, and a global positioning system (GPS) receiver538. In an embodiment, the mobile device 400 may include another kind ofdisplay that does not provide a touch sensitive screen. In anembodiment, the DSP 502 may communicate directly with the memory 504without passing through the input/output interface 518. Additionally, inan embodiment, the mobile device 400 may comprise other peripheraldevices that provide other functionality.

The DSP 502 or some other form of controller or central processing unitoperates to control the various components of the mobile device 400 inaccordance with embedded software or firmware stored in memory 504 orstored in memory contained within the DSP 502 itself. In addition to theembedded software or firmware, the DSP 502 may execute otherapplications stored in the memory 504 or made available via informationcarrier media such as portable data storage media like the removablememory card 520 or via wired or wireless network communications. Theapplication software may comprise a compiled set of machine-readableinstructions that configure the DSP 502 to provide the desiredfunctionality, or the application software may be high-level softwareinstructions to be processed by an interpreter or compiler to indirectlyconfigure the DSP 502.

The DSP 502 may communicate with a wireless network via the analogbaseband processing unit 510. In some embodiments, the communication mayprovide Internet connectivity, enabling a user to gain access to contenton the Internet and to send and receive e-mail or text messages. Theinput/output interface 518 interconnects the DSP 502 and variousmemories and interfaces. The memory 504 and the removable memory card520 may provide software and data to configure the operation of the DSP502. Among the interfaces may be the USB port 522 and the infrared port524. The USB port 522 may enable the mobile device 400 to function as aperipheral device to exchange information with a personal computer orother computer system. The infrared port 524 and other optional portssuch as a Bluetooth® interface or an IEEE 802.11 compliant wirelessinterface may enable the mobile device 400 to communicate wirelesslywith other nearby handsets and/or wireless base stations.

The keypad 528 couples to the DSP 502 via the interface 518 to provideone mechanism for the user to make selections, enter information, andotherwise provide input to the mobile device 400. Another inputmechanism may be the touch screen LCD 530, which may also display textand/or graphics to the user. The touch screen LCD controller 532 couplesthe DSP 502 to the touch screen LCD 530. The GPS receiver 538 is coupledto the DSP 502 to decode global positioning system signals, therebyenabling the mobile device 400 to determine its position.

FIG. 7A illustrates a software environment 602 that may be implementedby the DSP 502. The DSP 502 executes operating system software 604 thatprovides a platform from which the rest of the software operates. Theoperating system software 604 may provide a variety of drivers for thehandset hardware with standardized interfaces that are accessible toapplication software. The operating system software 604 may be coupledto and interact with application management services (AMS) 606 thattransfer control between applications running on the mobile device 400.Also shown in FIG. 7A are a web browser application 608, a media playerapplication 610, and JAVA applets 612. The web browser application 608may be executed by the mobile device 400 to browse content and/or theInternet, for example when the mobile device 400 is coupled to a networkvia a wireless link. The web browser application 608 may permit a userto enter information into forms and select links to retrieve and viewweb pages. The media player application 610 may be executed by themobile device 400 to play audio or audiovisual media. The JAVA applets612 may be executed by the mobile device 400 to provide a variety offunctionality including games, utilities, and other functionality.

FIG. 7B illustrates an alternative software environment 620 that may beimplemented by the DSP 502. The DSP 502 executes operating systemsoftware 628 and an execution runtime 630. The DSP 502 executesapplications 622 that may execute in the execution runtime 630 and mayrely upon services provided by the application framework 624.Applications 622 and the application framework 624 may rely uponfunctionality provided via the libraries 626.

FIG. 8 illustrates a computer system 380 suitable for implementing oneor more embodiments disclosed herein. The computer system 380 includes aprocessor 382 (which may be referred to as a central processor unit orCPU) that is in communication with memory devices including secondarystorage 384, read only memory (ROM) 386, random access memory (RAM) 388,input/output (I/O) devices 390, and network connectivity devices 392.The processor 382 may be implemented as one or more CPU chips.

It is understood that by programming and/or loading executableinstructions onto the computer system 380, at least one of the CPU 382,the RAM 388, and the ROM 386 are changed, transforming the computersystem 380 in part into a particular machine or apparatus having thenovel functionality taught by the present disclosure. It is fundamentalto the electrical engineering and software engineering arts thatfunctionality that can be implemented by loading executable softwareinto a computer can be converted to a hardware implementation by wellknown design rules. Decisions between implementing a concept in softwareversus hardware typically hinge on considerations of stability of thedesign and numbers of units to be produced rather than any issuesinvolved in translating from the software domain to the hardware domain.Generally, a design that is still subject to frequent change may bepreferred to be implemented in software, because re-spinning a hardwareimplementation is more expensive than re-spinning a software design.Generally, a design that is stable that will be produced in large volumemay be preferred to be implemented in hardware, for example in anapplication specific integrated circuit (ASIC), because for largeproduction runs the hardware implementation may be less expensive thanthe software implementation. Often a design may be developed and testedin a software form and later transformed, by well known design rules, toan equivalent hardware implementation in an application specificintegrated circuit that hardwires the instructions of the software. Inthe same manner as a machine controlled by a new ASIC is a particularmachine or apparatus, likewise a computer that has been programmedand/or loaded with executable instructions may be viewed as a particularmachine or apparatus.

The secondary storage 384 is typically comprised of one or more diskdrives or tape drives and is used for non-volatile storage of data andas an over-flow data storage device if RAM 388 is not large enough tohold all working data. Secondary storage 384 may be used to storeprograms which are loaded into RAM 388 when such programs are selectedfor execution. The ROM 386 is used to store instructions and perhapsdata which are read during program execution. ROM 386 is a non-volatilememory device which typically has a small memory capacity relative tothe larger memory capacity of secondary storage 384. The RAM 388 is usedto store volatile data and perhaps to store instructions. Access to bothROM 386 and RAM 388 is typically faster than to secondary storage 384.The secondary storage 384, the RAM 388, and/or the ROM 386 may bereferred to in some contexts as computer readable storage media and/ornon-transitory computer readable media.

I/O devices 390 may include printers, video monitors, liquid crystaldisplays (LCDs), touch screen displays, keyboards, keypads, switches,dials, mice, track balls, voice recognizers, card readers, paper tapereaders, or other well-known input devices.

The network connectivity devices 392 may take the form of modems, modembanks, Ethernet cards, universal serial bus (USB) interface cards,serial interfaces, token ring cards, fiber distributed data interface(FDDI) cards, wireless local area network (WLAN) cards, radiotransceiver cards such as code division multiple access (CDMA), globalsystem for mobile communications (GSM), long-term evolution (LTE),worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX), and/or otherair interface protocol radio transceiver cards, and other well-knownnetwork devices. These network connectivity devices 392 may enable theprocessor 382 to communicate with the Internet or one or more intranets.With such a network connection, it is contemplated that the processor382 might receive information from the network, or might outputinformation to the network in the course of performing theabove-described method steps. Such information, which is oftenrepresented as a sequence of instructions to be executed using processor382, may be received from and outputted to the network, for example, inthe form of a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave.

Such information, which may include data or instructions to be executedusing processor 382 for example, may be received from and outputted tothe network, for example, in the form of a computer data baseband signalor signal embodied in a carrier wave. The baseband signal or signalembedded in the carrier wave, or other types of signals currently usedor hereafter developed, may be generated according to several methodswell known to one skilled in the art. The baseband signal and/or signalembedded in the carrier wave may be referred to in some contexts as atransitory signal.

The processor 382 executes instructions, codes, computer programs,scripts which it accesses from hard disk, floppy disk, optical disk(these various disk based systems may all be considered secondarystorage 384), ROM 386, RAM 388, or the network connectivity devices 392.While only one processor 382 is shown, multiple processors may bepresent. Thus, while instructions may be discussed as executed by aprocessor, the instructions may be executed simultaneously, serially, orotherwise executed by one or multiple processors. Instructions, codes,computer programs, scripts, and/or data that may be accessed from thesecondary storage 384, for example, hard drives, floppy disks, opticaldisks, and/or other device, the ROM 386, and/or the RAM 388 may bereferred to in some contexts as non-transitory instructions and/ornon-transitory information.

In an embodiment, the computer system 380 may comprise two or morecomputers in communication with each other that collaborate to perform atask. For example, but not by way of limitation, an application may bepartitioned in such a way as to permit concurrent and/or parallelprocessing of the instructions of the application. Alternatively, thedata processed by the application may be partitioned in such a way as topermit concurrent and/or parallel processing of different portions of adata set by the two or more computers. In an embodiment, virtualizationsoftware may be employed by the computer system 380 to provide thefunctionality of a number of servers that is not directly bound to thenumber of computers in the computer system 380. For example,virtualization software may provide twenty virtual servers on fourphysical computers. In an embodiment, the functionality disclosed abovemay be provided by executing the application and/or applications in acloud computing environment. Cloud computing may comprise providingcomputing services via a network connection using dynamically scalablecomputing resources. Cloud computing may be supported, at least in part,by virtualization software. A cloud computing environment may beestablished by an enterprise and/or may be hired on an as-needed basisfrom a third party provider. Some cloud computing environments maycomprise cloud computing resources owned and operated by the enterpriseas well as cloud computing resources hired and/or leased from a thirdparty provider.

In an embodiment, some or all of the functionality disclosed above maybe provided as a computer program product. The computer program productmay comprise one or more computer readable storage medium havingcomputer usable program code embodied therein to implement thefunctionality disclosed above. The computer program product may comprisedata structures, executable instructions, and other computer usableprogram code. The computer program product may be embodied in removablecomputer storage media and/or non-removable computer storage media. Theremovable computer readable storage medium may comprise, withoutlimitation, a paper tape, a magnetic tape, magnetic disk, an opticaldisk, a solid state memory chip, for example analog magnetic tape,compact disk read only memory (CD-ROM) disks, floppy disks, jump drives,digital cards, multimedia cards, and others. The computer programproduct may be suitable for loading, by the computer system 380, atleast portions of the contents of the computer program product to thesecondary storage 384, to the ROM 386, to the RAM 388, and/or to othernon-volatile memory and volatile memory of the computer system 380. Theprocessor 382 may process the executable instructions and/or datastructures in part by directly accessing the computer program product,for example by reading from a CD-ROM disk inserted into a disk driveperipheral of the computer system 380. Alternatively, the processor 382may process the executable instructions and/or data structures byremotely accessing the computer program product, for example bydownloading the executable instructions and/or data structures from aremote server through the network connectivity devices 392. The computerprogram product may comprise instructions that promote the loadingand/or copying of data, data structures, files, and/or executableinstructions to the secondary storage 384, to the ROM 386, to the RAM388, and/or to other non-volatile memory and volatile memory of thecomputer system 380.

In some contexts, the secondary storage 384, the ROM 386, and the RAM388 may be referred to as a non-transitory computer readable medium or acomputer readable storage media. A dynamic RAM embodiment of the RAM388, likewise, may be referred to as a non-transitory computer readablemedium in that while the dynamic RAM receives electrical power and isoperated in accordance with its design, for example during a period oftime during which the computer 380 is turned on and operational, thedynamic RAM stores information that is written to it. Similarly, theprocessor 382 may comprise an internal RAM, an internal ROM, a cachememory, and/or other internal non-transitory storage blocks, sections,or components that may be referred to in some contexts as non-transitorycomputer readable media or computer readable storage media.

While several embodiments have been provided in the present disclosure,it should be understood that the disclosed systems and methods may beembodied in many other specific forms without departing from the spiritor scope of the present disclosure. The present examples are to beconsidered as illustrative and not restrictive, and the intention is notto be limited to the details given herein. For example, the variouselements or components may be combined or integrated in another systemor certain features may be omitted or not implemented.

Also, techniques, systems, subsystems, and methods described andillustrated in the various embodiments as discrete or separate may becombined or integrated with other systems, modules, techniques, ormethods without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.Other items shown or discussed as directly coupled or communicating witheach other may be indirectly coupled or communicating through someinterface, device, or intermediate component, whether electrically,mechanically, or otherwise. Other examples of changes, substitutions,and alterations are ascertainable by one skilled in the art and could bemade without departing from the spirit and scope disclosed herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet system,comprising: a cash wallet server comprising: at least one processor; anon-transitory memory; and an application stored in the non-transitorymemory that, upon execution configures the at least one processor to,receive an initiation message associated with a pre-paid mobile phonecash wallet from a wallet initiation agent, wherein the initiationmessage identifies a pre-paid wireless communication account associatedwith an account number, an amount of money presented, and the walletinitiation agent, based on the initiation message, create the pre-paidmobile phone cash wallet associated with a cash wallet account numberfor a pre-paid mobile phone, wherein the cash wallet account number isdifferent from the account number associated with the pre-paid wirelesscommunication account, and wherein a funds balance of the pre-paidmobile phone cash wallet initially comprises at least a portion of theamount of money presented and the funds balance of the pre-paid mobilephone cash wallet is independent of a funds balance of the pre-paidwireless communication account, associate the identity of the walletinitiation agent with the creation of the pre-paid mobile phone cashwallet, wherein the identity of the wallet initiation agent uniquelyidentifies an agent or store associated with the initiation message thatmediates creation of the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet, persist theassociation between the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet and the walletinitiation agent in a cash wallet data store, responsive to eachcommercial transaction that uses the pre-paid mobile phone cash walletwith an agent that is different from the wallet initiation agent,determine a monetary reward for the wallet initiation agent based on atransaction amount of the corresponding commercial transaction with theagent that is different from the wallet initiation agent, wherein themonetary reward for the wallet initiation agent is determined for eachcommercial transaction while the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet isassociated with the wallet initiation agent, and based on thedetermination of the monetary reward, distribute the monetary reward tothe wallet initiation agent.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein theapplication: receives a cash load message from a loading agent, whereinthe cash load message identifies the pre-paid mobile phone cash walletand a cash load amount, and wherein the cash load message is associatedwith a commercial transaction; increases the funds balance of thepre-paid mobile phone cash wallet based on the cash load amount;determines a load monetary reward for the loading agent based on thecash load amount; and determines a load residual monetary reward for thewallet initiation agent based on the cash load amount.
 3. The system ofclaim 2, wherein the load monetary reward and the load residual monetaryreward are subtracted from the cash load amount and wherein the fundsbalance is increased by the amount left after subtracting the loadmonetary reward and the load residual monetary reward from the cash loadamount.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the application: receives acurrent funds balance request message from a pre-paid mobile phone,wherein the message comprises the cash wallet account number associatedwith the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet; looks up the funds balanceof the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet; and sends a funds balanceinformation message to the pre-paid mobile phone, wherein the fundsbalance information message comprises an indication of the current fundsbalance of the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet.
 5. The system of claim1, wherein the application: receives a funds transfer request messagefrom another pre-paid mobile phone, wherein the another pre-paid mobilephone indicates a funds transfer amount and an account number; andtransfers funds one of from the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet to apre-paid wireless service funds balance or from the pre-paid wirelessservice funds balance to the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet.
 6. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the application: receives a funds transferrequest message that identifies a funds transfer amount, identifies thepre-paid mobile phone cash wallet, and identifies a second pre-paidmobile phone wallet; and transfers funds from the pre-paid mobile phonecash wallet funds balance to a funds balance of the second pre-paidmobile phone wallet.
 7. A method of maintaining a pre-paid mobile phonecash wallet of a pre-paid mobile phone, comprising: receiving, by aserver executing at least one processer, an initiation message from awallet initiation agent, wherein the initiation message identifies apre-paid wireless communication account and an amount of money to becredited to a pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet funds balance of thepre-paid mobile phone cash wallet; establishing, by the server, apre-paid mobile phone cash wallet account associated with a pre-paidmobile phone cash wallet account number in a cash wallet data store,wherein the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet account number isdifferent from an account number associated with the pre-paid wirelesscommunication account, and wherein the pre-paid mobile cash walletaccount has an initial funds balance equal to the amount of moneyidentified in the initiation message; creating, by the server, in thecash wallet data store an association between the pre-paid mobile phonecash wallet account and the wallet initiation agent; based on thecreated association, transmitting, by the server, the pre-paid mobilephone cash wallet account number to the wallet initiation agent;receiving, by the server, a cash load message from a loading agent thatis different from the wallet initiation agent, wherein the cash loadmessage is based on a commercial transaction and identifies the pre-paidmobile phone cash wallet account number and an amount of money to loadto the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet funds balance, the pre-paidmobile phone cash wallet funds balance being independent from a fundsbalance of the pre-paid wireless communication account; determining, bythe server, the identity of the wallet initiation agent associated withthe pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet account number provided in thecash load message by accessing the cash wallet data store, wherein theidentity of the wallet initiation agent uniquely identifies an agent orstore that mediates creation of the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet ofthe pre-paid mobile phone; responsive to the commercial transactionusing the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet with the loading agent thatis different from the wallet initiation agent, determining, by theserver, a monetary reward for the wallet initiation agent based on thecash load message, wherein monetary rewards for the wallet initiationagent including the monetary reward are determined for commercialtransactions while the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet is associatedwith the wallet initiation agent; and based on the determination of themonetary reward, distributing the monetary reward to the walletinitiation agent.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the cash loadmessage further identifies an amount of money to be distributed as aload fee.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the monetary reward isallocated to the wallet initiation agent as a portion of the load feeresponsive to the loading agent being the wallet initiation agent. 10.The method of claim 8, wherein a portion of the load fee is allocated tothe loading agent.
 11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:receiving, by the server, a payment message from a service provider,wherein the payment message comprises the prepaid mobile phone cashwallet account number and a payment amount; and determining, by theserver, a transaction monetary reward based on the payment amount. 12.The method of claim 11, further comprising sending a message to thepre-paid mobile phone associated with the pre-paid mobile phone cashwallet, wherein the message comprises a current funds balance.
 13. Amethod of performing commercial transactions using a pre-paid mobilephone cash wallet of a pre-paid mobile phone, comprising: receiving, bya server executing at least one processor, a transaction message basedon a commercial transaction using the pre-paid mobile phone cash walletwith a business agent that is different from a wallet initiation agent,the transaction message comprising a pre-paid mobile phone cash walletaccount number, an identity of the business agent, and a transactionamount, wherein the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet account number isdifferent from an account number associated with a pre-paid wirelesscommunication account corresponding to the pre-paid mobile phone, andwherein a funds balance of the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet isindependent from a funds balance of the pre-paid wireless communicationaccount; identifying, by the server, the wallet initiation agentassociated with the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet account number byaccessing a cash wallet data store based on the pre-paid mobile phonecash wallet account number, wherein the wallet initiation agent uniquelyidentifies an agent or store that mediates creation of the pre-paidmobile phone cash wallet for the pre-paid mobile phone; responsive tothe identity of the business agent not being that of the walletinitiation agent, determining, by the server, a monetary reward for thewallet initiation agent based on the transaction amount, whereinmonetary rewards for the wallet initiation agent including the monetaryreward are determined for commercial transactions while the pre-paidmobile phone cash wallet is associated with the wallet initiation agent;and based on determining the monetary reward, distributing, by theserver, the monetary reward to the wallet initiation agent.
 14. Themethod of claim 13, wherein the monetary reward and the transactionamount are deducted from a funds balance of the pre-paid mobile phonecash wallet identified by the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet accountnumber.
 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising sending a fundsbalance message to the pre-paid mobile phone associated with thepre-paid mobile phone cash wallet.
 16. The method of claim 15, whereinthe funds balance message is a short message service (SMS) text message.17. The method of claim 13, further comprising: receiving, by theserver, a wallet initiation agent transfer message, wherein the messageidentifies the wallet initiation agent and a second agent; and based onreceiving the wallet initiation agent transfer message, associating, bythe server, the pre-paid mobile phone cash wallet with the second agent.18. The method of claim 13, wherein the business agent is associatedwith a money transfer business.
 19. The method of claim 13, wherein thebusiness agent is associated with a utility service provider.